Trees

Do you have the right to have a tree cut down on your property? What are the procedures for pruning? Here is all the information concerning tree management in Pointe-Claire.

Trees located on private land

Trees on private land are the responsibility of the landowner. The landowner must comply with the regulations relating to the felling and pruning of trees.

Pruning

If your tree needs to be inspected or pruned, you must contact an arboricultural company. Note that if branches are touching the electrical grid or if a tree seems dangerous, you must call Hydro-Québec or 911 as the case may be.

You can visit the International Society of Arboriculture website to find a contractor: siaq.org (https://www.siaq.org/en#ctnTrouverPro/) Find a tree care professional). After the work is completed, it will be the contractor’s responsibility to recover the branches.

For work not carried out by a contractor, the branches will be collected by Public Works teams on a regular basis between May 1 and October 31. Plan for a timeframe of 21 days.

The branches must be placed at the curb with the cut part facing the street. They must be free of debris and must not exceed 10 cm (4 in) in diameter. Bundles of branches should not exceed 1.2m in height and should be spread across the width.

Felling

To preserve the canopy, we encourage the citizens of Pointe-Claire to prune whenever possible to improve the health of the tree. It is prohibited to over-prune or cut trees larger than 10 cm (4 inches) in diameter, measured at 1 metre (3.3 feet) from the ground, except in the following cases and after obtaining a permit from the City:

  • The tree is either dead or will be dead within one year.
  • An arboriculture professional has concluded that the tree is infested with an insect or an incurable disease and constitutes a risk of infestation or epidemic for others.
  • The tree represents a danger to persons or property due to the risk of falling, to the extent that proper pruning or bracing will not make the tree safe.

Any tree 10 cm (4 inches) in diameter felled must be replaced with a new tree within one year of the issuance of the tree felling authorization certificate.

To fell a damaged private tree, an application for a permit must be sent to the City. Authorization must be obtained prior to undertaking the work or contracting a contractor. Anywhere within the limits of the City, all trees must be preserved and maintained so as to prolong their life.

APPLY FOR A PERMIT

Public trees

A public tree is a tree located on the municipal right-of-way of your property, on City land or in parks.

Note that it is prohibited to prune or fell public trees.

If you believe that a public tree is damaged, notify us by email at tp@pointe-claire.ca.

Maintenance of public trees

The City is responsible for the maintenance of public trees. It handles pruning, bracing and felling, when the situation requires.

 

 

Information: Public Works, 514 630-1230, tp@pointe-claire.ca